Tofu?

[blas]

I would like to try tofu. I do my biweekly grocery shopping later this week, so ideas this week would be excellent.

I've never tried tofu before, but I'm thinking I would like to try it. I wouldn't buy more than just one slab of it, and maybe a few other things to go with it to try, just to try it.

A little about my likes, since I read that tofu is a good meat substitute, I'm a big fan of Italian foods, ravioli, spaghetti, all kinds of pastas and noodles. I love to make what we Wisconsin folk call "hotdish", which is basically a casserole of (usually) beef and some sort of noodle and cheese and some kind of sauce, usually tomato based (and most people like to add onions and peppers and whatnot but I don't like those).

I also enjoy turkey/ham wraps. If it's possible to make some kind of wrap with a flour tortilla with tofu and some kind of cheese, that'd be great. I'm also a fan of making rice hotdishes as well with beef.

Any simple ideas would be appreciated!

[Rapscallion]

There are two sorts - silken is useless in anything other than vegan cheesecake. Firm is great for stir fries.

However, tofu is pretty bland, so prepare to spice it up a bit. It does tend to absorb flavours well, though, so prepare to marinade it.

Rapscallion

[MaggieTheCat]

I've made tofu parmigiana before, which is basically like chicken parmigiana but with tofu instead. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/tofu-parmigiana/

Make sure to get firm tofu and let it drain really well before using it. Drain off all the standing liquid that comes in the container, then put the block of tofu between several layers of paper towels and weigh it down on top with some cans or something and let it drain for 30-60 minutes. I also pre-baked mine when I made the above recipe, for about 15 minutes, to firm it up even more (otherwise it gets a little mushy) before pan frying it.

I've also made an Indian dish called navratan korma with tofu. http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/2007/...avratan-korma/ (use it in place of the paneer in that recipe.) If you don't have, can't find, or don't like all the spices or vegetables it calls for, just substitute what you like best.

[chrislb]

Like the person above said, get firm tofu wrap in several paper towels and use weights to press liquid out for 30 to 60 mins. Make a nice herby tomato sauce. I like to use plenty of oregano, thyme and rosemary.
Either cube tofu into small bite size pieces or crumble it into sauce while its cooking. Tofu will soak up the flavor of the sauce but don't cook too long or texture will get mushy.
Add some parmesan cheese to sauce will give it richer flavor.
Make some of your favorite pasta add sauce and there ya go. Tasty and good for you.

[Barracuda]

I would be careful with tofu. Several health concerns-- Tofu is made from soy, which is high in carbs, unlike most other sources of protein. Carbs added to carbs (pasta) "locks" the fat cells in your body, making them unavailable to be burned for energy. (This, by the way, is why Atkins worked--not that high fat is better, but that less carbs are. Since carbs are converted to glucose (sugar) quickest by your body, too many carbs in one meal results in a massive blood sugar spike, which is bad for your body and can over time cause damage. Finally, soy contains high amounts of estrogen (yes, the female hormone.) Studies have shown that one-two servings of soy milk is the equivalent of taking five birth control pills. All things to be aware of before choosing tofu as a "healthy" option. I would consider using ground turkey in your dishes if beef is not a healthy enough option for you.

[Rapscallion]

Depends, Barracuda. As a part of a balanced diet as far as I'm aware it's fine. If you have the same stuff day in and day out, you'll end up worse off. It has benefits such as zero cholesterol. Once a week should be fine for most people, maybe twice.

Rapscallion

[blas]

I'm not so worried about the overall nutrition value as far as carbs go. When I had more extra cash, I used to drink soy milk instead of regular because I used to have a conspiracy theory that regular milk was making my acne worse (that proved to be wrong), and I never had any problems with a lot of soy.

I just wanted to try something new. I wasn't planning on eating it at every meal or eating it every day at work.

I was hoping I could mix it with spaghetti or another type of pasta and cheese/other sauce. Maybe rice and and another sauce?

[taxguykarl]

Firm tofu is largely a sponge--it will take on the flavors of whatever it is cooked with.

[Food Lady]

Let me preface this with saying I have 2 problems with tofu: taste and texture. However, some people love the taste, though I can still detect it in whatever it's in. The people who like it have lots of options. There are 2 kinds of processing: Chinese and Japanese. I think the coagulating ingredients are different, so the textures are. I believe the Japanese type is less spongy, less grainy. (I've bought both before). I can't remember which brands are which, but the packaging tells you. Try googling "japanese tofu". I've heard you can freeze it and then thaw after pressing, and you'll get a meatier texture. I have seen a recipe for fried chunks that are dipped in a coating. They'd be good in stir-fry. I have done enchiladas with crumbled tofu. Also, depending on the meat analyzed, tofu sometimes has more protein ounce for ounce. If you find you don't like tofu, and want an amazing chicken substitute, Quorn products are amazing. If you have Woodman's, they carry them at the best price. (Oh, I said "amazing" twice , 'cause they are!) Also, there's seitan (wheat gluten).

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Yeah, I second the stir fry. There's a high end Chinese joint here in town that serves REAL food, not the Americanized buffet fare you see in most Chinese places, and they do a stir fry with vegetables and tofu that is amazing. They kind of saute it a bit and it browns it and firms it right up.

The owner, who is a friend of ours, urged us to try it one evening, and boy was she right.

[AccountingDrone]

I have a friend who is celiac and makes mack faux. Press out the water, or buy it already pressed, slice it into thin rectangular 'noodles' and melt an appropriate amount of velveeta to go over the noodles, mix with an egg and pour over the noodles. Nuke gently for a minute to warm up the noodles and cheese, and stir together gently. Makes apparently a decent fake of kraft dinner.

I like fried tofu puffs.

Someone mentioned freezing the tofu, here is a quick page on different things to do with tofu. The cute tofu press is available from Amazon.

[I have a soy milk maker and the reagent to make my own tofu. If you really like soy milk and tofu, I really recommend you look into getting a soy milk maker =) ]